Bavinck: The Law-Gospel Distinction and Preaching April 3, 2009

I been thinking about the law and how it relates to both the believer and the unbeliever following the last few episodes of the Narrow Mind podcast (#953/#954). In attempting to educate myself a bit more on the subject I found some thoughts from Herman Bavinck available online.

The full article is very helpful but here are some quotes that I found insightful:

This freedom of faith, however, does not invalidate the law, but establishes it (Rom.3:31), since its legal requirement is fulfilled precisely in those who walk according to the Spirit (Rom.8:4). After all, that Spirit renews believers so that they delight in God’s law according to the inner man and inquire as to what God’s holy will is (Rom.7:22; 12:2; Eph.5:10; Phil.1:10), while they are spurred on through various impulses — the great mercy of God, the example of Christ, the costly price with which they have been purchased, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, etc. — to the doing of God’s will.

Although they overlap to the extent that they both have God as author, both speak of one and the same perfect righteousness, both are directed to man, to bring him to eternal life, yet they differ in that the law proceeds from God’s holiness, the Gospel from His grace; the [works of the] law [are] known from nature, the Gospel only by special revelation; the law demands perfect righteousness, the Gospel bestows it; the law leads to eternal life through works, the Gospel makes works proceed from eternal life bestowed through faith; the law currently condemns man, the Gospel acquits him; the law is directed to all men, the Gospel only to those who live under it; etc.

The Gospel is temporary, but the law is eternal and is restored precisely through the Gospel. Freedom from the law consists, then, not in the fact that the Christian has nothing more to do with the law, but lies in the fact that the law demands nothing more from the Christian as a condition of salvation. The law can no longer judge and condemn him. Instead he delights in the law of God according to the inner man and yearns for it day and night.

Advertisements

Like this:

LikeLoading...

Related

Thanks for posting this Gary. I also appreciated your post over at The Narrow Mind. I can’t find any contact information on your Blog, but I’d appreciate it if you drop me an e-mail so we can briefly discuss the Two Kingdom theology.